RATIONALE FOR CHOOSING A TARGET SIMULATOR FOR STUDYING THE ACTION OF AN IMPACTING ELEMENT OF A KINETIC NON-LETHAL WEAPON

Due to the complexity of modeling and the need to apply a number of assumptions, the study of the influence of the energy characteristics of the striking element on the results of the action on the target is usually carried out by empirical methods. Various types of objects, both biological and non-biological, have been and continue to be used in experiments for many years to simulate the processes accompanying the formation of gunshot wounds A method of establishing a connection between the characteristics of the striking element and the results of its action on the target is proposed. The method consists in researching the effect of an impacting element with the same energy and other characteristics on a biological target and a target imitator, followed by establishing the correspondence of the damage of the target imitator to the damage of the biological target. This approach makes it possible to conduct statistically large empirical studies in artificial conditions with variation of input parameters on target simulators and to spread the obtained results to biological objects with appropriate experimental verification, but through a relatively small number of repetitions. A key requirement for target simulators is a uniform response to the impact of a striking element with the same set of energy and other characteristics. Known imitators of the target have different characteristics both in absolute values and in terms of stability, so the question arises of choosing a rational type of imitator of the target for certain studies. An analysis of the properties of non-biological target imitators, including gelatin, soap, plasticine blocks, Pankratov's target, and ballistic gel blocks, was carried out. The choice of blocks made of ballistic plasticine as a target imitator for studying the effect of striking elements of non-lethal kinetic weapons is substantiated. The results of preliminary experimental studies of the influence of the temperature of ballistic plasticine «Beschussmasse» on the volume of the final cavity due to the action of the impacting element are presented. The research results indicate the significance of such an impact and the need to establish the dependence of the volume of the final cavity on the temperature of the block material and the kinetic energy of the impacting element.